The word “homework” is mentioned only once in this entire
article. This is a telling omission since homeworkpolicy is, in part, the driving force behind
this problem. If it were not for homework, and the excessive weight we give it,
the landscape would be different. Children would have an opportunity to blow
off steam after school, eat and sleep better, and be more prepared for the next
school day. Children who are truly afflicted with ADHD would be easier to spot
and treated accordingly. There are numerous studies to show that homework has
limited value. There are cross cultural comparisons that show that children in homework-light
countries generally fare better than children in societies with homework-heavy
policies. The omission of homework as a central piece to this stories parallels
the omission of homework as a central component of teacher education, at both
the college and the continuing education levels.